Thursday, May 16, 2013

Blue Grosbeak: My Favorite Summer Passerine


I like and love lots of things and really don't have favorites of very many things. However, I do consider the Blue Grosbeak to be my favorite summer passerine. It is a highlight during late spring or early summer when I see my first male of the year. I'm glad to have them back from Central America for the summer. I love the dark blue color and the contrasting rufous wing bars. After seeing my first male Blue Grosbeak a few years ago I decided I would not let another summer go by without locating a few males singing on their territory. The male below had set up its territory and was singing from a Russian Olive tree along a dirt road we call Swede Lane in Utah County, Utah.

Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Along Swede Lane in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)
Here is a full view of the same male after he flew across the dirt road and perched on a barbed wire fence post.

Male Blue Grosbeak Along Swede Lane in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)
 A good birding friend, who knows my love for the beautiful birds, located the male below near Lindon Beach in Utah County. True to our friendship he sent a text message to me to provide the location. I was able to hear this bird sing and get a few decent images to add to my collection of images. The image below shows a nice profile highlighting its "gross" beak, rufous wing bars, and dark wings and tail feathers.

Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Near Lindon Beach in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)
First-summer males look a little messy as they sport their "tween" plumage, morphing from the pale rufous/buff color to a dark blue with contrasting rufous wing bars and black lores. The bi-colored beak can also be distinguished in the images below.

First-summer Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Near American Fork Boat Harbor in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)
First-summer Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Near American Fork Boat Harbor in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Blue Grosbeak Lindon Beach in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)
Once I've located a few males I know I will be able to return in a couple of months to see juveniles. The image below shows at least two siblings down low.


This juvenile was found a couple summers ago in an open field in American Fork, Utah.
Juvenile Blue Grosbeak Near American Fork Boat Harbor in Utah County, UT
I wish I could have gotten closer to the bird below. I loved the dark blue contrast against the green of the grain. This bird sang its way to the perch below as I was trying to photograph a male Bobolink in an adjacent field of tall grass.


Male Blue Grosbeak Near Palmyra, Utah (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

16 comments:

  1. Great series Jeff and very cool images. I love this bird too. I remember seeing and identifying a pair of them in Prescott Arizona on my very own as a fairly new birder. Stuff like that sticks in the memory. That perched on the grain image is really amazing.

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    1. Thanks, Robert. The first one I saw was discovered on my own as well. Self discovery does make the experience even better in terms of excitement and memory.

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  2. Great images Jeff. I have only seen a female before - they are gorgeous birds.

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    1. Thanks, Dan. I hope you get to see a male some day soon.

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  3. Beautiful shots of a beautiful bird. I don't think I even knew this bird existed when I lived in Utah for 6 years, so I do not have it on my Utah Life List. I am especially surprised that bobolinks live there! I have not been back to Utah since moving away in 2007. You make me want to jump in my car and drive there right now!

    P.S. We do have this species in AZ, where I now live, and I have seen and photographed it here several times. It truly is a beauty!

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    1. It's funny you should mention Bobolinks, Kathie. They just got reported in northern Utah this week. I'm planning to go out and get photos of them again this summer. My daughter and her family just moved into a home in Gilbert after living in Mesa for a while. I can't wait to get in my car and head down there.

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  4. Beautiful shots! I keep missing this bird. We had a few come through central Florida and could not catch for anything.

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    1. I have never birded in Florida, but I sure would love to do so. Florida would present quite a list of life birds for me. Thanks for commenting.

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  5. Had the good fortune of seeing a pair that ventured in Minnesota two summers ago - they are stunning to see. I love the last photo of it perched in the soft, green grass. Truly a beautiful capture, Jeff.

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    1. Thanks, CabinGirl! The bird in that images came into the field for just a moment and then flew away. I was fortunate in the timing and location.

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  6. Estupenda serie de esta preciosa ave.Saludos

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  7. Great shots, Jeff! I lucky to see several on Cape May as they don't make it as far as Vermont.

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    1. Thanks, Hilke, for visiting and commenting. I can't wait to see my first of the year. Could be any day now in Utah.

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  8. Lovely photos of these beautiful birds!

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    1. Thank you, Linda. All the grosbeaks I've seen in Utah appear in beautiful colors, but I guess blue is my favorite color. Evening Grosbeaks, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and even Evening Grosbeaks can be seen here.

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